"One Border" COAC Subcommittee Works to ID CBP and PGA Redundancies, Etc.
At the October 4, 2011 COAC meeting, COAC’s “One U.S. Government at the Border” Subcommittee gave an update on its work on identifying redundancies with CBP and PGA requests for documents/data and considering the use of a single document imaging system between trade, CBP, and PGAs involved in the import process. In addition, CBP has posted a document on its “One U.S. Government at the Border” initiative.
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Working on Recommendations to BIEC on Reducing Redundancies, Improving PGA Processes
The subcommittee is working with several CBP officials to take the opportunities to eliminate redundancies that have been identified and documented on a PGA by PGA basis, and offer comments on those issues to the Border Interagency Council (BIEC)1 for review. Along with detailed PGA-specific observations, the subcommittee and CBP officials will also work on summary recommendations for improving the overall import process when PGAs are involved.
Subcommittee Will Also Work on Trusted Partnership Programs for PGAs
The subcommittee will be providing recommendations/observations to individual BIEC PGAs on a rolling basis, focusing not only on entry issues, but on pre- and post-entry issues as well. Eventually, the Subcommittee will work on trusted partnership programs for the PGAs.
During the COAC meeting, a CBP official noted that the next scheduled meeting of the BIEC is in December 2011 and encouraged the subcommittee to provide CBP with its findings (either preliminary or final) in time for presentation to the BIEC’s December 2011 meeting.
BIEC Work Groups are Exploring Doc Imaging Technologies, Info Sharing, Etc.
CBP has also posted a document discussing the current status of its One U.S. Government at the Border initiative, as well as background information.
According to CBP, which chairs the BIEC through 2011, BIEC working groups are exploring several initiatives, including document imaging, information sharing, and a government-wide approach to partnership programs.
CBP is Collaborating with Canada on Single Window Initiative
CBP also notes that it is collaborating with Canadian Customs (CBSA) in the formulation of a Single Window Initiative for the Beyond the Borders/Perimeter Vision process. This initiative identifies specific steps that the U.S. will accomplish by 2013 including the harmonization of government agency data requirements and the implementation of the required technology to provide an electronic mechanism to the trade to submit the required information for imports.
(See ITT’s Online Archives 11083018 for summary of a report on Canadian stakeholder comments on the new “perimeter approach” to security and economic competitiveness and development of a “single window.”)
CBP has Participated in WCO Efforts
CBP further notes that it has also been a participant in the World Customs Organization (WCO) efforts for the modeling of both data and business process for international trade. The PGA Message Set data elements have been mapped to the WCO data model to ensure consistency of definitions between the data for U.S. government agencies and other foreign governments.
1The BIEC serves as an Executive Advisory Board to interagency import safety related issues and includes 10 chartered members -- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Consumer Product Safety Commission; Customs and Border Protection; Environmental Protection Agency; Food and Drug Administration; Food Safety Inspection Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and National Marine Fisheries Service.
COAC subcommittee update available here
CBP discussion of its “One U.S. Government at the Border” initiative available here